I don't blame the businesses as much as I blame the customers. If customers stayed at home with their families on Thanksgiving instead of buying cheap Chinese shit for 10% off, businesses wouldn't open. The Great Wal-Mart of China and other retailers are merely satisfying the demands of their customers. I will agree that it sucks employers don't offer more pay on Black Friday, but oh well. If you don't like the job, quit.

Society starts with the individual. When individuals stop being mindless sheep, materialistic and start respecting themselves, only then will our society change for the better.

On a side note, remember that many of these people voted. Isn't democracy grand?

That being said, I can't wait for the 2012 Black Friday compilation video.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1447583

I understand where you're coming from. Businesses can't be solely blamed. After all, if people were at home not buying stuff, then they couldn't afford to be open.

On the other hand, businesses use subliminal advertising to hypnotize people into being addicted to their products.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Matthew 22: 37-39

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" - Galatians 5: 22-23

Black Friday is an accounting term. Retail runs in the red most of the year and the holiday season puts it back in the black with the Friday after Thanksgiving being the kickoff.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 9968554

Maybe accountants see it that way, but retail workers certainly don't. Every year that I worked in retail, black Friday seemed to get worse. There were the 16 or 17 hour shifts, the fighting off thousands of wild customers ( or should I say CREATURES), the arguing and fist fights over items, the hours of prepping/cleaning up afterward, and reaching a point of total mental and physical exhaustion. You wouldn't understand unless you've done it.

I just got off work myself. I've worked at a toy store the past three holiday seasons and it has really allowed me to see what a joke Black Friday really is. If people just payed attention they would see these giant sales aren't really that great. There are a few great deals but that's about it. I don't understand why someone would stand outside in the cold for more than 5 or 10 minutes to save 5 dollars. You stand outside for hours and then get in the door and wait 2 or 3 more hours to buy it. I have only been Black Friday shopping once and that was about 8 years ago. I was only out about an hour and decided it wasn't my thing. I just can't believe how many people do it.

I just got off work myself. I've worked at a toy store the past three holiday seasons and it has really allowed me to see what a joke Black Friday really is. If people just payed attention they would see these giant sales aren't really that great. There are a few great deals but that's about it. I don't understand why someone would stand outside in the cold for more than 5 or 10 minutes to save 5 dollars. You stand outside for hours and then get in the door and wait 2 or 3 more hours to buy it. I have only been Black Friday shopping once and that was about 8 years ago. I was only out about an hour and decided it wasn't my thing. I just can't believe how many people do it.

Quoting: Nostalgic Rain

You just got off work? So your store was open all day today?

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Matthew 22: 37-39

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" - Galatians 5: 22-23

Black Friday is an accounting term. Retail runs in the red most of the year and the holiday season puts it back in the black with the Friday after Thanksgiving being the kickoff.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 9968554

Maybe accountants see it that way, but retail workers certainly don't. Every year that I worked in retail, black Friday seemed to get worse. There were the 16 or 17 hour shifts, the fighting off thousands of wild customers ( or should I say CREATURES), the arguing and fist fights over items, the hours of prepping/cleaning up afterward, and reaching a point of total mental and physical exhaustion. You wouldn't understand unless you've done it.

Black Friday is black Friday because employees are in mourning!

Quoting: Dease

You are so right. My coworkers and I always feel total exhaustion for about a full week around Black Friday.

I just got off work myself. I've worked at a toy store the past three holiday seasons and it has really allowed me to see what a joke Black Friday really is. If people just payed attention they would see these giant sales aren't really that great. There are a few great deals but that's about it. I don't understand why someone would stand outside in the cold for more than 5 or 10 minutes to save 5 dollars. You stand outside for hours and then get in the door and wait 2 or 3 more hours to buy it. I have only been Black Friday shopping once and that was about 8 years ago. I was only out about an hour and decided it wasn't my thing. I just can't believe how many people do it.

Quoting: Nostalgic Rain

You just got off work? So your store was open all day today?

Quoting: Dease

We opened at 8pm. I had to go from 6pm to 2am. It was the first year I didn't have to work 10 or more hours.

I just got off work myself. I've worked at a toy store the past three holiday seasons and it has really allowed me to see what a joke Black Friday really is. If people just payed attention they would see these giant sales aren't really that great. There are a few great deals but that's about it. I don't understand why someone would stand outside in the cold for more than 5 or 10 minutes to save 5 dollars. You stand outside for hours and then get in the door and wait 2 or 3 more hours to buy it. I have only been Black Friday shopping once and that was about 8 years ago. I was only out about an hour and decided it wasn't my thing. I just can't believe how many people do it.

Quoting: Nostalgic Rain

You just got off work? So your store was open all day today?

Quoting: Dease

We opened at 8pm. I had to go from 6pm to 2am. It was the first year I didn't have to work 10 or more hours.

Quoting: Nostalgic Rain

Wow. Well, I know you're glad to be off.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Matthew 22: 37-39

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" - Galatians 5: 22-23

I'm not against shopping. I spend all my money on goods also. I keep what I need and spend the rest. I don't hoard my money.

I shop local when ever possible. I never go to these types of sales. Thay are not really sales. People just think they are. I watch where and what I buy and wait until things really go on sale. February and March are great months to shop. Everybody isn't spending anything cause they are still paying for Christmas. The retailers really have to sharpen their pencils around that time. Then you see the really good deals. People just get caught up in the fever of holidays and " The Sales" thing created by a holiday. They think they need to reward themselves somehow but its empty when the credit card bill comes in afterwards. Even down right depressing. I am a very practical person. I don't buy stuff just to have it. I buy things that are very useful and that have value. Good Clothing. Good shoes and boots. All season Clothing thats durable. Camping equipment. Hand Tools. Solar chargers. Handy useful gadgets are way more fun than shit. My TV is now 15 years old. Not digital. I bought it new on sale great deal and I love it and it works great still. I just could not bring myself to buy a huge screen TV. WHY...? I know people that have gone out and spent 2k on their TV's just to have one cause everybody else did and then you see them and they can't pay their telephone bills or put insurance on their cars and they cut back on groceries or somthing along those lines. They continuely hurt themselves buying shit....? Its just nuts.

I'm up now because I have to go to work at 4:30 for this crap.My husband says they'll find out soon enough they chose the wrong one to be opening cashier on this day. I hate it and I hate the idea of it.I'll behave, though. :)

Normally, we open at 9, but today we open at 5.

Thankfully, I'll get a little satisfaction when I get to tell those who ask where the sales are that we don't have sales.It's Ross and it's already a discount store.Ross NEVER has "sales". This is my 2nd black Friday there and that was my favorite part last year.

What I don't understand is that most stores complain all year about profit and payroll and then during the one time of the year--all through the holidays-- when they could really make some money, they extend hours and hire temps.How in the world does that benefit them??

Our American society has been trained to be consumers, first and foremost.

Quoting: Thor's Hamster

Remember what President Bush said when, a couple weeks after 9/11, American businesses saw a drop in sales, because people were "waiting for the other shoe to drop" and holding on to their money and not spending. He said, "Go out and go shopping! Take your family to Disneyworld!"

Quoting: Thor's Hamster

I remember him saying that! I remember thinking how awful that was after something so horrible had happened.

They all look fat,too. So these are the people NOT on welfare who have money left.They didn't even help up those trampled or pregnant and fallen. They didn't seem to be alot of blue eyed blondes in the tramplers either. Look at it this way. This is a SMALL percentage of the actual cities'populations who go in for this. I prefer videos of the tidy happy concerned lines voting we see.

These videos convinced me to not go shopping ever on Black Friday.I avoid hoarders and greedy people.Looks like they've been hoarding some food there too.

..its replusive.people screaming and kicking like spoiled brats desperate for crap they probably don't even really need. The states has the largest amount of hoarders too, its really very sad to see humans reduced to nothing but hungry consumer zombies.

Black Friday is an accounting term. Retail runs in the red most of the year and the holiday season puts it back in the black with the Friday after Thanksgiving being the kickoff.

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 9968554

Maybe accountants see it that way, but retail workers certainly don't. Every year that I worked in retail, black Friday seemed to get worse. There were the 16 or 17 hour shifts, the fighting off thousands of wild customers ( or should I say CREATURES), the arguing and fist fights over items, the hours of prepping/cleaning up afterward, and reaching a point of total mental and physical exhaustion. You wouldn't understand unless you've done it.

Black Friday is black Friday because employees are in mourning!

Quoting: Dease

I think the employees ought to just say: "fuck this, we're striking" and refuse to work the days. You get enough refusing, you might see change..........then again maybe not, but I can dream lol.

All you can do otherwise is watch the circus seems to me.....sad to watch but can't look away at the same time.

No one is perfect. A babe before walking will first stumble and fall many times but NEVER gives up until he succeeds.

Always remember, ultimately, to never follow any person's belief. Your relationship with God is between you and God.

If nothing else, remember this: religion = subservience, control and conformity, the same template as EVERY government